The Phantom Has A Heart After All
by Ginger S
Summary: Chet shares a personal story with Johnny after a bad run.


The Phantom Has a Heart After All

By GCS

_**DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.**_

The vivid blue sky shone clear except a sprinkling of bright white clouds and the sun just peeking above the horizon but hidden behind a larger mass of marshmellowy fluff. The golden orb's morning rays were slipping out between the tufts, reaching across the blue sky and wrapping around the world like the fingers of God.

Dew glistened on the small lush patch of green grass kissed by the morning rays when Mike came out to raise the flags in front of Station 51.

The Squad had not yet returned from the early morning run to a house fire.

The Engine crew sat around the kitchen table nursing coffee while waiting for their shift to end and hoping they wouldn't be toned out again.

It was barely dawn. The wake up tones would have sounded ten minutes ago if they hadn't already been awake. They had just under three hours to go. Three hours to try to put the last call behind them.

The home had been a complete loss. One child had escaped the destruction, but the little girl had hidden in her closet. Johnny and Roy found her barely alive and badly burned. Her injuries were so dire that both Paramedics had ridden in the ambulance with her. Marco had followed them in the Squad, but the engine crew had stopped and picked him up after being released from the scene.

Johnny and Roy had not returned from Rampart yet to let them know if she had survived or not. Maybe she did, but she was so badly burned. Would that be a blessing?

"Sun's out. It's gonna be a nice day." Mike mumbled as he returned to join the sullen group around the table.

"I'm too tired to even think about it." Marco yawned. The weary men had only just gotten to sleep when the tones called them out for the second time during the night.

Captain Stanley trudged into the room and headed directly for the coffee pot pouring the last of the dark brew into his mug, "Kelly, can you make another pot for John and Roy?"

"Aw Cap. I'm tired. Can't they make their own?" Chet whined.

"That's an order Kelly." Cap raised his cup and eyed the curly haired man over the top of his cup. He didn't hold out much hope for the little girl. If she didn't make it, Roy and Johnny wouldn't be up to making a fresh pot, and as tired as they all were the caffeine would help perk them up for the drive home.

Chet laid both hands on the table and slid his chair back as he stood. "Yes sir...be glad to sir." He had a sarcastic tone to his voice that Captain Stanley chose to ignore…for the moment. After finishing the preparations Chet moved back to the table with the others and they waited.

Captain Stanley sat on the couch absently sipping his coffee while gently scratching Henry behind the ears. The only one in the room that was happy about the situation wagged his tail which in turn made a continuous thumping noise every time it landed against the cushion. Clearing his throat Hank made a suggestion to his men. "Uh…I think it would be a good idea to start some breakfast, anyone hungry?"

Marco looked up, slowly slid his chair back and stood. "I'll get something started Cap." He paused in thought. "How do breakfast burritos sound?" He knew they were one of Roy's favorites and Johnny liked them too. Well, he smiled to himself, Johnny liked most anything.

"That sounds good Marco, thanks." Cap moved Henry off his lap, stood and walked over to the coffee pot. "I'll be in my office if anyone needs me." He poured a fresh cup of coffee and left the room.

Mike stood next, "I'll be in the dorm. I think I'll go ahead and strip the bunks for B-shift."

"What are you doing that for?" Chet asked bewilderedly.

Mike stopped and slowly turned to face Chet. Aggravation at Chet's cluelessness clearly splayed across his face. He nodded his head as he spoke, "Cause I need something to do." Mike rolled his eyes.

"But we already did our chores yesterday. Why do you want to do more?" Chet still didn't get it.

"Chet, leave it be. You can help me with breakfast. Mike just needs some space." Marco finished getting breakfast fixings from the refrigerator and had them assembled on the counter.

"I don't want to help you cook." Chet quickly stood and thrust his chair back. "I'm gonna polish the engine." He stalked from the room not understanding why everyone was picking on him. "What did I do anyway?"

Marco didn't have an opportunity to respond to his best friend before Chet disappeared into the bay.

Chet swirled the polishing rag in circles on the side of the engine by the dorm. That's where he was when he heard the squad backing in.

Not wanting to be seen he slipped back into the shadow cast from the lip of the overhead door as it slid upward. Once the squad parked he listened to see if he could find out how the little girl was. He didn't hear any movement, no doors opening or closing; no words being exchanged. Wanting to see what was going on he stood on tiptoe trying to see through the window beside Cap's seat. Frustrated because he was too short to see, he backed up, climbed on the running board and slid in front of his seat crouching down so he wouldn't be seen watching. Peeking just over the top of his seat he could see Johnny's reflection in the side mirror of the squad. He sat stark still with his chin resting in his hand propped on his knee. His eyes looked blank as he stared out the open window. '_Wonder if Roy's doing the same thing?'_ He couldn't see inside the vehicle, but he didn't hear any movement. _'I bet the girl didn't make it.' _He lowered his chin to his chest and crossed himself. _'I'll stop by the chapel on the way home and light a candle for her and her family.'_

Hearing movement he once again rose up to get a look at the two paramedics.

Johnny slowly climbed out of the squad. He didn't even look over at Roy much less speak to him. He walked out the front bay door and went to lean against the flag pole.

Roy was still in the squad.

Chet noticed Captain Stanley standing in the door to his office leaning against the door frame, coffee cup in hand. "Roy?"

He could hear the squad door open before he saw Roy getting out. "The injuries…" He paused and cleared his throat. "She was too badly burned."

"I'm sorry about that Roy. I know you guys did your best."

"Thanks Cap." Chet noticed that Roy's voice was barely above a whisper.

Cap looked toward the bay door in the direction Johnny had disappeared. He tilted his head in that direction. "He gonna be okay?"

Roy also looked out the bay door. "Yeah, eventually, she held his hand all the way to Rampart. It gets to you." He shrugged.

Captain Stanley put his hand on Roy's shoulder and gripped it. "You okay?"

Roy glanced at Cap and huffed what sounded like a small chuckle, "Yeah Cap, as soon as I get home to Joanne and the kids. I'll be fine, but Johnny…he doesn't have that."

"I know Roy, but he's seen worse. He just has to work his way through it. I know you'll do what you can to help him when he's ready." Cap turned and went back into his office stopping to turn and tell Roy that Marco would have breakfast ready in a few minutes if he wanted to clean up first.

Chet ducked back down so Roy wouldn't see him when he went toward the locker room. He waited until he heard the swish of the locker room door before peeking over the seat again. When he thought it was safe he climbed down from the engine and moved up beside the front bumper.

Johnny was still leaning against the flag pole starring up at the rising sun…perfectly still save for the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Then he lowered his chin to his chest, and Chet thought he saw Johnny's shoulders tremble before he watched Johnny slide down the pole to the ground. Not wanting to disturb Johnny or embarrass him Chet remained still and quiet.

Johnny untied his boots and slipped them off along with his sox. Then he got up and started walking around in the damp grass feeling it on his bare feet, pulling at a long blade by gripping it between his toes.

'_What are you doing Johnny Boy?'_ Just as suddenly as the question entered Chet's mind the answer followed. _'You're feeling life. You need to feel like a kid again. I bet you ran all over the place barefooted when you were a kid. I know I did. I used to love the feel of thick dew covered grass in the morning when I went outside to play.' _He chuckled to himself. _'Course if Mom had known I was outside barefooted, she would have killed me.' _Chet sat on the step up on the Engine and untied his own boots. He slipped out of his sox and left them hanging on the lip to his boots. He walked out and joined Johnny in the grass. "Feels good."

Johnny hadn't noticed Chet until he spoke. He looked down at Chet's feet and a half hearted grin spread across his face. "Yeah."

"I used to love walking in the cool damp morning grass when I was a kid." Chet walked around with his hands in his pockets. "My mother always said we couldn't go outside with our shoes off because we would get worms or something. If she knew I usually left my shoes hidden under the back porch until time to come in she would have tanned my hide."

Johnny smiled again, this time a little more brightness could be seen in his eyes.

"She really would have split her wig if she'd known I waded in the creek too." Chet kept up a one sided monologue. "My best friend Charlie and I used to skinny dip in the creek too, and fish from homemade branch poles. On Saturdays we would dig up worms from under the rocks and catch fish until right before lunch. There was this old guy that lived in the alley behind the drug store. We gave him the fish. I don't know how he cooked 'em, but he always seemed glad to get 'em."

Johnny stopped walking and looked at Chet with his eyebrows raised. Then they resumed their trek around the small patch of grass.

"You know I forget sometimes how much fun it was being a kid. We always found something to do." He stopped walking and smiled again. "One time Charlie and I decided to build a fort in a tree. I mean I guess it was really just a tree house, but we called it a fort. We drug old boards from all over town out to this big tree beside the creek. It was near the spot we liked to fish at. We hauled those rotten boards up a rickety old ladder and nailed them to a big branch. We had it almost built when…" He stopped moving and talking. He looked up at Johnny. "He was my best friend. We didn't know the boards were that rotten."

Johnny stopped walking and looked at Chet. There they stood out in front of the station, feet almost hidden in the plush green grass staring at each other. "He fell…broke his neck. I ran all the way home to get my Mom to help. I forgot all about my shoes. She was so mad when I ran in the house all dusty and shoeless. She yelled at me. My best friend was lying in the dirt by the creek. Our poles were propped up against a log with the hooks bobbing in the water; our fort was almost finished. She didn't know. I yelled back at her to get her to listen. I didn't care about my shoes."

"Chet…you don't…" Johnny tried to stop Chet from going on.

"Yes I do Johnny. I need to. I've never told anyone this story." Chet started walking again. "She called for help and followed me to the creek. I was still barefooted. She didn't care anymore." Chet stopped and pulled at a weed with his toes. "She never stopped me from going barefoot again. She knew it reminded me of my best friend and how we snuck around without shoes together. I loved being a kid with him. I had other friends too, but he was my best friend."

"I'm sorry he died." Johnny didn't know what to say to make Chet feel better. He was touched that Chet had shared such a personal secret with him. "I never wore shoes either. I mean I had to wear them to school, but I only had the one pair and they were too good to play in, so I just went without."

Chet glanced at Johnny. He had known Johnny didn't have an easy childhood, but didn't know he was so poor he didn't have shoes.

"Of course on the reservation it wasn't such an unusual thing." Johnny shrugged.

"They had the funeral a few days later, and you know that old guy from the drugstore alley came. He stood back away from everyone, but he even looked like he had taken a bath. Charlie would have been glad to know he came."

"The little girl today didn't make it." Johnny whispered.

"I know."

Johnny looked up to his friend and nodded his understanding.

"I'm gonna head in and see if Marco has breakfast ready. He's making breakfast burritos. You coming?" Chet turned toward the station.

"I'm not really hungry. I'll be in, in a minute." Johnny slid down beside the flag pole again to put on his shoes.

"Hey Johnny, Momma Lopez said her church was building a playground for the kids that live in the neighborhood around the church. I think they are going to be starting on it today. If you want we could go over there this afternoon after we get some sleep. See if they need any help."

Johnny looked up and smiled. "I'd like that."

Chet turned and continued his walk back to his shoes. "Okay…just call me when you wake up."

After putting on his boots, Chet went to the locker room. Looking to be sure no one was around he opened Johnny's locker slowly.

He stepped to the side to avoid the onslaught of water he knew would be coming out at him. He walked over to the towel rack, pulled down a towel and used it to mop up the water. Then he proceeded to disassemble the catapult device and return it to his own locker.

Before joining the others at the breakfast table he checked the other places he usually hid the devices to attack his friend to be sure he didn't have any others set up.

This was not a morning for pranks.


End file.
